So here's the situation : I have to play a movie which is parents-friendly, ie the main language is French, there is not much sex, action and blood, and preferably something not too stupid.
Therefore a movie directed by a French guy whose movies are considered as "films d'auteur".
This time, it is Michel Gondry, for Science of Sleep. Last time it was worse : Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Delicatessen. Oh, boy, how I felt awkward for playing this in front of so many people ("Je crois qu'on va arrêter ici"). God only knows how fucked up next movie in the same context will be, 'cause I ain't playing any fucking comedy for filthy casuals.
Anyways, this one was actually not that obscure, even if it put everyone except yours truly to sleep : Hlima snorring, Mum' waking up & going back to sleep each 20 minutes, and Dad even if he didn't admit it had probably his mind slipping away.
Because yes : the movie has super random moments & messy scenes.
Dreams are intertwining with reality, stop motion visuals are invading the material setting every now and then, most of the characters are reacting in an irrational & inconsistent way (especially the co-workers - very good performance by Alain Chabat), the tone is sometimes vulgar & sometimes sweet / simple (specifically : "niais")...etc.
The form/style is quite well made in my opinion : the director has succeeded to build nice and very different atmospheres that would express & represent the main character's dreams and visualising. A lot of the setting material that he uses is directly related to some discussed aspects in real life (when he is not dreaming) and the inherent randomness of dreams has been well depicted. It is not necessarily meaningful or interesting, but at least it is a fair take on how to represent cinematographically a dream. And I believe that this shit is not easy.
Now on the substance of the movie, I am quite disappointed. Basically it is a romance with highs and lows between two neighboors with the clicheys that go with those themes : the guy is hiding that he's living next door but the girl is aware of it , the girl doen't know if he's into her or into her own girlfriend, suspicion of a third party between the two etc...
If one took out all the mind fuck stuff related to dreams and the nonsense that happens in them, the movie would have become completely tasteless and I would have stopped it before I regret it.
Clearly some good ideas were poured into the recipe that made the movie, especially the ones related to main concept, the style & the awkwardness of some situations, but the mainstream &conventional stayed too prominent for making the project a top win.
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